1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to grinding, lapping, and polishing compounds whose residues can be removed from the workpiece with water and whose vehicles have good lubricating properties.
2. Description of Current Problems
Abrasive materials are often used in surface finishing as part of machining operations. Metals and other materials may be machined with abrasive materials which are solidly bonded together (whetstones, grinding wheels, cutting wheels, abrasive cloths and papers), loose abrasives are also conventionally used.
These loose abrasives are mixed with either liquids or greases and applied to the workpiece; the desired degree of material removal is achieved by movement relative to an abutting surface. The abutting surface can either be a different part of the workpiece itself or can be a special tool surface (ranging from lapping disks to lamb's wool).
In using such abrasives, the removal of oil- or grease-based abrasive compounds from the treated workpiece frequently causes problems, especially when the workpiece has recesses. In order to remove residual abrasive compounds, the workpiece must then be treated with a cleaning fluid. Aside from the danger of working with this solvent, there is the additional danger that some abrasive grains may remain on the workpiece or return to the workpiece from cleaning fluid which is not continually replaced.
Therefore, it has already been suggested that the workpiece be coated with a water-soluble film-forming or viscous material, so that the workpiece can be cleaned with water after the grinding or polishing process has been completed. However, this technique has the disadvantage that two operations are required.
In addition, grinding compounds with water or aqueous emulsions are known. These compounds, however, frequently have the applications-related disadvantage that their vehicles do not have sufficient lubricating properties and thus produce deep scratches.
Thus, the task was to find grinding, lapping, and polishing compounds which neither had the disadvantages of requiring washing with cleaning fluid nor requiring a two-step process and whose vehicles would exhibit good lubricating properties.